We can be proud of our country, our people, our culture and our identity while also being honest about the things that are broken and need to change. The Pakistan we have today may be far from the Pakistan our founders and generations before us imagined, but that does not mean the dream itself is no longer worth believing in. Perhaps, more than anything, Independence Day is a chance to celebrate the ordinary people who continue to keep this country going despite everything they face. Patriotism does not always have to mean waving a flag or singing a song; sometimes, loving your country means speaking up when things are wrong and wanting a better future for everyone. We do not have to choose between celebrating Pakistan and acknowledging its problems, because both can exist at the same time. Happy Independence Day to everyone who continues to hope for, work for and believe in a better Pakistan, even when believing feels difficult.
